New and Old
by Marzipan
Summary: (part1)Brad and Nagi get together while trying to hide their budding relationship from Schuldig (part 2)Esset has a new assignment for Schwarz, and an interesting twist has Crawford floored
1. Default Chapter

Schuldig watched as Crawford slipped out of his room and uncharacteristically checked the hallway. He smirked and waved when the tall American's gaze landed on him. Crawford coughed, straightened and nodded coolly in the orange haired German's direction. He calmly walked to the bathroom and firmly shut the door behind him.  
  
Curiosity piqued, Schuldig waited for the other man to exit. Minutes passed, and finally, tired of waiting, he reached out and touched another mind. /Nagi, Crawford's up to something./  
  
/Oh?/ Came Nagi's noncommittal reply. /So?/  
  
/Do you know what's going on, then?/  
  
There was a slight pause, then /No./  
  
Schuldig grimaced. Nagi did know, but it looked like the teen wasn't going to be sharing anything.  
  
/Nagi,/ Schuldig wheedled. /You do know something. What's going on?/ He heard a mental sigh from Nagi.  
  
/Leave it alone, Schuldig. You wouldn't understand, anyway./  
  
Crawford leaned his forehead against the closed door of the bathroom, thoughts whirling. Why did Schuldig have to pick that time to be in the hallway? He would ruin it. The first time he'd been able to feel in years, and he was afraid to show it, for fear of being ridiculed.  
  
Finally, he slipped out of the bathroom. This time the hallway was clear, Schuldig was no where in sight.  
  
He pushed open a door down the hallway and stepped into the room.  
  
"Nagi?" he said tentatively, looking at the younger boy.  
  
Nagi turned from his computer and smiled. "Hello, Crawford. Look, Farfarello is here." Crawford looked where Nagi indicated, and saw the scarred Irishman sitting on the floor of Nagi's bedroom. He was admiring his knife collection, and as Crawford watched, he selected a favorite and gave it a loving lick.  
  
Schuldig strolled into the room then, without knocking. "Oh, look," he drawled. "One big happy family. Crawford as our beloved father, Nagi the doting son, Farfarello------" Schuldig was interrupted as Crawford backhanded him into Nagi's bedroom door.  
  
"Now, Crawford, is that any way------" Schuldig began.  
  
"OUT!" roared Crawford, flinging his hand out in Schuldig's direction. "And you, Farfarello, take your knives and get out before I find your straight jacket." Crawford's eyes glittered coldly. "I need to speak with Nagi--- alone." his tone suggested that Nagi was in trouble, big trouble.  
  
* * *  
  
Schuldig followed Farfaerllo to his room. While Schuldig claimed what passed for a bed in the room, Farfarello spread his knife collection out again, cackling over them.  
  
/Nagi?/ Schuldig sent, keeping a careful eye on the giggling Irishman, just in case.  
  
/Stay out of this, Schuldig./ Nagi slammed up mental barriers against further intrusions.  
  
Schuldig sighed. He didn't bother trying to 'speak Crawford; the American always had his shields up against intrusions from the nosy German telepath. Farfarello looked up at Schuldig. "Crawford and Nagi are hurting God." He said cryptically, looking back down at his knives. Schuldig looked at the other man, wondering what he was talking about. "They hurt God, Farfarello? What do you mean by that?" Schuldig tried to get the Irishman to tell him what he meant by his confusing remark, but Farfarello refused to answer, ignoring the German completely. Schuldig blew his bangs out of his eyes, and decided to see if he could find out for himself.  
  
* * *  
  
Crawford looked at Nagi awkwardly. Nagi knew that unless he made the first move, nothing would happen. He used his telekinetic power briefly to make sure the door was firmly shut and locked. He stood up and walked over to the nervous looking older man. Nagi looked up into Crawford's honey eyes. "Crawford...Brad....it's okay" Nagi reached up and gently cupped Crawford's cheek with a trembling hand. "you're cold....Brad. You need warming up, I think."  
  
Crawford's eyes widened, and he tried to back up a step, but the locked door barred the way. "Brad, it's okay. You can let me in. I--won't hurt you." Nagi's eyes grew soft and he stepped forward and embraced Crawford's stiff body, burying his face in Crawford's crisp jacket front.  
  
Crawford looked down at the young boy embracing him, and jerkily moved his arms up to enfold him. Crawford stroked the young Japanese boy's hair, fingers trembling. "Nagi," he whispered. "I shouldn't be here. This is wrong. I should go."  
  
Nagi only tightened his arms around Crawford. "No, Brad. Stay. I want this. You want this. Stay. Please." Nagi's eyes swam with suppressed emotion.  
  
Crawford relaxed marginally. That had been his biggest worry--did Nagi return his feelings?  
  
Nagi raised his head, then reached a slow, careful hand up to Crawford's head, burring his fingers in Crawford's short, darn hair. They both began to tremble, and Nagi firmly pulled Crawford's head down to his own. Their lips met, tentatively at first, but quickly grew bolder.  
  
Nagi smiled to himself, lips curving against Crawford's. Things would be just....fine.  
  
* * *  
  
"...You're so little. I don't want to break you!"  
  
"I'm not going to break Brad, I promise..."  
  
* * *  
  
Schuldig was determined to find out what was going on. Farfarello seemed uninterested in the fact that something strange was going on, too wrapped up in shining, sharpening, and cuddling his knives. Schuldig crept along the hallway, reaching Nagi's door. He pressed his ear to the door, since Nagi was still blocking him out. He heard a muffled thump, then nothing. Schuldig tried the doorknob carefully, but it was still locked. He shrugged, then moved down the hallway to another door. This door was unlocked. Schuldig pushed it open slowly, and carefully looked in.  
  
Crawford's bed was crisply made, hospital corners tucked under smoothly. And the bed was surprisingly...empty.  
  
Where was Crawford? Still in Nagi's room? Schuldig quietly moved back to Nagi's door, trying in vain to hear something either physically or mentally.  
  
/Schuldig./  
  
/My, my, the great Crawford unbending enough to speak to me?/ Schuldig smirked even thought Crawford could not see him.  
  
/If you don't leave the door NOW, you will be sorry. Go to your room and go to bed. We'll speak of this in the morning./ Crawford's mental voice was as cold and icy as his real voice. Schuldig shivered, knowing how bad Crawford's rages could be, so he whispered back /Yes, Crawford. See you in the morning./ Schuldig slunk back to his room and followed Crawford's orders to the letter.  
  
* * *  
  
Crawford reluctantly uncurled his long body from around Nagi's smaller frame. "Nagi," he whispered to the boy, "I have to go back to my own room."  
  
Nagi made a little noise in the back of his throat and wrapped his arms tightly around the bigger man. "No, Brad, stay." he whimpered. "I'll be...lonely if you leave."  
  
"Nagi, I should go." Crawford struggled a bit in Nagi's embrace. "I shouldn't be found here in the morning."  
  
"Brad.....please stay." Nagi pleaded again. He arched and eyebrow and looked Crawford in the eye. "Besides, my bed is much more comfortable than that cement slab you call a bed."  
  
Crawford struggled a bit more, then gave up. "You're right, Nagi. Your bed is more comfortable." He nuzzled Nagi's neck. "But I need to be back in my own room before that nosy Schuldig gets up and finds me missing."  
  
Nagi floated his alarm clock over, and set it. "That enough for you, Brad?" Crawford nodded, and Nagi replaced the alarm clock.  
  
"Now," Nagi breathed into Crawford's ear, "Are you interested in sleeping, or interested in something else?" Crawford blushed.  
  
* * *  
  
Wrapped in Nagi's arms, Crawford began to dream.  
  
He was younger, much younger. In the days of his boxing career, and in the days of his first love. He thought her was beautiful. She was small, reaching to just above his shoulder, with beautiful honey brown eyes. She didn't approve of his career. "It's so violent, Brad" she used to tell him. "I worry about you. I don't want you to get hurt!" Her brown eyes would swim with unshed tears. He still had trouble believing someone would shed tears over him.  
  
"I don't deserve someone like you, love." he would say, and swing her into his strong arms for a passionate kiss. Her eyes would grow big, and she would sigh.  
  
Crawford convulsed. Nagi whimpered. Down the hall, Schuldig sat up and clutched at his head. Farfarello slept on, immune to Crawford's pain.  
  
They stood outside of his gym, on the curb. He clutched her hand, and reached out to touch her soft, dark hair. "Love, don't go" he whispered. His boxing gloves hung from his shoulders, his shirt still damp from his workout at the gym.  
  
"Brad, I can't stay. I can't watch you get beat up anymore!" The girl cried, pulling away from Crawford's grasp. She began to run away, and looked back one last time, brown eyes full of pain. "I just can't do it!"  
  
The car tried to slam on its breaks. The girl tried to stop running. Crawford tried to grab her back from the street. They were all too late. The car slammed into her, tossing her through the air like a ragdoll. She hit the pavement with a sickening thud. Crawford ran to her side, carefully gathering her battered body in his arms.  
  
"Please don't go, don't leave!" he sobbed, blurring his face in her dark hair, rocking her back and forth.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Crawford clawed his way out of the dream, sitting bolt upright in Nagi's bed. Nagi was curled in a tight ball, whimpering, while papers and small object flew around the room. From the hallway, he could hear an awful wailing coming from the direction of Schuldig's room.  
  
"B-b-brad..." Nagi's voice trembled, and he reached out for the older man.  
  
"Don't touch me!" Crawford leapt out of bed, putting distance between him and the younger boy. He turned, and fled from the room. "I shouldn't have been here! This never would have happened if I had stayed in my own room! Why did I start to care again?" Crawford wailed, leaving Nagi's room and heading back to his own. Crawford locked himself safely away, and spent the rest of the night sitting on his bed, staring out the widow at the moon.  
  
* * *  
  
Nagi paused outside of Crawford's door. He knocked softly, hoping Crawford would respond. He waited a moment, then knocked a bit louder. "I know you're out there, Nagi. Go away." Crawford growled from inside the room. "Brad, talk to me. What happened?" Nagi called through the door. "Let me in, please!" "No!" Nagi carefully used a bit of his power to unlock the door. He turned the knob, and then began pushing open the door. "Nagi, if you open that door, I'll kill you." Crawford said coldly, meaning every word. Nagi paused, then let go of the knob. Tears flooded his eyes, and he stumbled blindly off, heading for the only sanctuary he could think of.  
  
* * *  
  
Schuldig held his head, keening at the pain he felt. What the hell was going on? Weird disjointed dreams about boxing and pretty girls, and a splitting headache were his only answers. Schuldig looked up as his door inched open. "Schuldig?" Nagi whispered, poking his head in. "Are you okay? I could hear you in my room....." he turned pain filled eyes in the German's direction.  
  
"Nagi, what's going on? My head....it's about to split in TWO" Schuldig groaned, rubbing his temples. "It's Br--Crawford. I think he had a nightmare. But he's locked himself in his room, and won't come out. And he won't talk to me."  
  
"Crawford? A nightmare? Didn't know the old boy had that much emotion penned up in him." Schuldig drawled, closing his eyes against the light from the hallway.  
  
"He does!" Nagi said vehemently, startling himself and Schuldig. "Well, he does. I just don't know why he won't show that side of him to us." Schuldig blinked, and nodded.  
  
"All right, Nagi, if you say so."  
  
"Schuldig?" Nagi said.  
  
"Yes, Nagi?"  
  
"Would you mind...if I stayed with you for the rest of the night? I don't want to be alone right now." Nagi lowered his head a bit, then shyly looked at the other man.  
  
Schuldig scooted over and patted the coverlet next to him. "Hop in, youngling." Nagi cuddled up to Schuldig in a familiar way. They had spent many nights like this when Nagi had first come to Esset, a scared, lonely young boy looking for companionship to ward off the loneliness. Though he spent many nights away from his own bed, Schuldig wouldn't even think of Nagi in that way; he was too much like a scared younger brother to him. /It'll be okay, Nagi, really./  
  
/Promise, Schu-schu?/  
  
/Promise, Nagi-kun./ 


	2. Chapter 2

Birman descended the stairs behind Manx into the basement of the Koneko. Manx paused at the bottom, leaving Birman a couple of steps behind her, keeping her slightly hidden in shadow. Yohji turned and spotted the two women. Birman smoothed the fabric of her favorite lavender suit, while Manx posed, her short red skirt showing off her long legs. "Manx, where you been? You're lookin' goooooood!" he exclaimed, gaining the attention of the other three boys with him. Yohji winked at Manx, then noticed Birman behind her. "And I see you've brought your friend with you!" Manx laughed her throaty laugh, and entered the room. "Yohji, you flirt! Gentlemen, you remember Birman." She nodded to Ken, Omi, and Aya. "I have another mission for you, from Persia." Birman couldn't keep her eyes off of Yohji. Of course that one remembered her, she'd only spent last night in his bed.....  
  
"You have beautiful brown eyes, Birman," Yohji had told her. "You say that to all your girlfriends, don't you, Yohji?" Birman blushed, looking away from him. "Sure, but this time, I meant it..."  
  
"...Birman?" Birman shook herself out of her reverie, and looked at Manx. "Manx?" "Can I have the tape?" Manx looked at her strangely, wondering what could be distracting the other woman. Birman usually seemed so....together. "Oh, yes. Here." Birman pulled the videocassette tape from her jacket pocket and handed it to Manx. She hadn't been this distracted by a guy since.....she put a hand to her head, trying to remember. Since...she gave up, all she could remember was a pair of honey-gold eyes. Manx put the tape into the VCR, then settled into a chair next to Birman. The four boys trained their attention on the TV. "Birman," Manx whispered. "Are you all right?" "Yes," Birman said shortly, not wanting to talk about it. She and Yohji had agreed to keep their little affair secret, so they didn't distract anyone, or themselves, from the missions at hand. "How could anyone DO that?" Ken exploded, jumping up from the couch as the tape ended, to shake a fist at the TV. "Monsters!" "Calm down, Ken, we'll take care of it!' Omi grabbed Ken's arm and pulled him back down to the couch. Manx stood. "Well, gentlemen, you have your mission. Who's all in?" "I am!" Ken said, and the other three quickly agreed. "We'll get those bastards," Aya growled, anger flashing in his violet eyes. "Good. Birman will give you the clues and information that Kritiker has gathered. Good luck, gentlemen." Birman handed the folder to Yohji, fingers touching briefly. He winked at her slyly, and she blushed. "Come back soon, Manx, and be sure to bring your pretty friend with you again." He said, slowly smiling at Birman, running a quick hand through his light brown hair. "We certainly don't see enough attractive, legal women around here." "Yohji!" Ken and Omi groaned together.  
  
* * *  
  
Crawford, Nagi, Schuldig, and Farfarello met in Nagi's room. Nagi sat at his computer, eyes trained to the screen. Crawford avoided looking at the younger boy, just like he had for the last few days. Schuldig looked amused, and Farfarello looked bored. "So, Crawford, does Esset have orders for us yet?" Schuldig drawled, lounging on Nagi's bed. Crawford leaned against Nagi's desk, and favored Schuldig with an icy glare. "Yes," he said shortly. "You'll probably like this one, Schuldig. It involves.....a woman." Schuldig sat up, eyes brightening. "What are the orders, then, senpai?" Schuldig teased, trying to get a rise out of Crawford. Crawford, however, refused to rise to the bait. He pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose with an index finger, and carefully spoke. "Call me senpai again, and I'll kill you, Schuldig. "Esset's orders are fairly simple. Disrupt Weiss's latest mission. Distract them, in any manner possible." Farfarello looked up, mad yellow eyes sparkling. Disruption was his specialty. It usually meant he got to kill. A lot. "Schuldig, you will go after Yohji. Apparently he's got a girlfriend on the sly. Kidnap her, and bring her back here. We'll see how he can focus with his lady-friend missing. Farfarello, you'll target the witnesses in the case. Try not to have....too much fun." Farfarello began to cackle, pulling out a favorite knife to play with while Crawford finished issuing orders. "Nagi, you'll be hacking into their computer system. Plant false leads, delete important information. Also, you can use your powers to move things around over in that flowershop of theirs. Keep them off balance." All of Crawford's orders were issued in the same cool tone. Nagi looked at Crawford while he spoke, pain naked in his eyes. When the older man didn't even glance at him, he lowered his eyes, and whispered, "Yes, Crawford." Schuldig glanced at Nagi, noting his odd behavior. /Nagi, what's wrong?/ /Nothing, Schuldig, nothing. Nothing that concerns you, anyway. I'll have to deal with this in my own way./ /Is it Crawford? If he's hurt you in any way..../ Nagi heard barely suppressed anger in the German's mental voice. /Schuldig, you'll just make things worse if you try to help. Stay out of it. He's...hurting. And you know he shuts everyone out when he hurts./ Schuldig caught Nagi's eye and nodded. He'd stay out of this, for now. "What will you be during all of this, Crawford? While the rest of us are doing your dirty work?" Schuldig asked insolently. "I," Crawford said softly and coldly, "will be keeping myself from killing you."  
  
* * *  
  
"Tell me about yourself. Is Birman really your name?" "No-o, it's not..." "No, then what's your real name?" "I-I don't remember..." "You don't? Why not?" "I don't really remember. It happened a long time ago, but I don't remember much before it." "What happened a long time ago? Don't you trust me, Birman?" "Trust? Yohji, it's not that. I just don't...remember. I remember bits and pieces, but not everything, not the important things like names and places and dates." "Tell me what you remember, maybe I can help." "I...remember...a car. And a boy. We...fought? I don't really know. The only thing I really remember is that the boy had strange eyes...eyes the color of honey in sunlight." "Then what?" "Then...nothing. I remember waking up in a hospital. Kritiker took me from that hospital, and put me under the care of their own doctors. They were the ones who gave me the codename Birman. They took care of me. I owe them my life. They probably know my real name, but no one has bothered to tell me. And I'm not sure I really want to know." "No?" "No. Whatever I was before Kritiker, it doesn't matter. I am who I am now, not who I was...before." "Ah, I see." "And you, Yohji. What's your story?" "...Asuka..." "Asuka? Who's that?" "My partner. She died." "I'm sorry. See, we have something in common. My dead past, your partner..." "Yes, I guess we do. And we'll have something else in common, soon, Birman..." "Ooooh, Yohji! You are one naughty boy!"  
  
* * *  
  
Yohji and Birman slept, he with one arm thrown possessively across her middle, she with her head pillowed on his shoulder. Neither one of them heard the window over the bed creak open, or see the shadowy figure that appeared in it. The shadow chuckled. "Silly Weiss." Schuldig leapt lightly from the windowsill to the floor beside the bed. "Weiss," he crooned to the sleeping man. Yohji started, and sat up, looking the redhead in the face. "Schwarz!" he growled, "what are you doing here?" "I've come for the girl, Yohji. And I'm taking her now." Schuldig pushed Yohji back down on the bed, and sat on his chest. Birman struggled awake to find her hands being tied together, a gag already in her mouth. "Here, pretty boy, I'll leave you this to remember her by," Schuldig murmured, holding the thrashing Yohji down on the bed and kissing him thoroughly. "Remember that, you might not get another chance." He slung Birman over his shoulder, and disappeared through the window. Yohji leapt up, leaning out the window, one hand reached out in vain. "BIRMAN!" he screamed, feeling helpless.  
  
* * *  
  
Crawford entered Nagi's room. Schuldig and Farfarello were both out of the penthouse, hopefully completing the parts of the mission he'd assigned to them. They'd have the place to themselves until Schuldig came back. He really didn't expect to see Farfarello for the next several days. "Nagi," he whispered, catching the younger boy's attention. Nagi's head whipped up, startled. "B-Brad?" he stammered. "Nagi, I'm sorry about the last few days...." "Brad, no, don't apologize. Just...tell me what's bothering you..." Crawford sat down on Nagi's bed, and Nagi joined him, carefully putting an arm around the older man's waist, leaning his cheek against his shoulder. "I can help, Brad, I can." "No, Nagi, I don't think you can. But, you should know what happened." Crawford paused, looking at Nagi's innocent face. "You at least deserve to know." Nagi nodded agreement. "I had...a nightmare. I thought I'd dealt with those demons, locked them away where they couldn't surface again, but I was wrong, and they escaped. I hurt you, and I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. You see, there was...a girl. A long time ago. But she's dead, and it's my fault." "Brad, no! It's not your fault!" Nagi exclaimed, holding Crawford tightly in his arms. Crawford broke the embrace and leaned away from Nagi. "You don't know, you don't! It was my fault! My fault she's dead!" Crawford's voice was full of anguish, his mouth twisted in pain. Nagi took Crawford's head in his hands and began stroking the distraught man's hair, murmuring wordless endearments to him. Crawford began to calm down, breathing returning to normal. "It's okay, Brad. I still-love-you..." Nagi whispered. Crawford looked startled. "You love me?" he asked. Nagi blushed and nodded, shyly looking in Crawford's eyes. "I do." "Oh." "Is that okay?" Nagi's features took on a slightly scared cast. "Okay? Yes, it's okay." Crawford lowered his face to Nagi's. "It's more than okay," he breathed, slowly pressing the smaller boy back onto the bed. "Let me show you how okay." And he did.  
  
* * *  
  
Schuldig arrived back at the penthouse, Birman still slung over his shoulder, still struggling to get loose. He patted her bottom smartly and told her to stop. "We're home, sweetling. Another few feet, and you'll find out what's going on." Schuldig smirked at the thought of dumping Yohji's lover at Crawford's feet. He paced down the hallway and brazenly pushed his way into Crawford's room. "Crawford," he crowed. "I've got your prize!" He looked around the room, surprised to find it empty at this time of night. He shrugged, no mean feat with Birman on his shoulder, and pondered what to do. "Well, kitten, Crawford wanted you, so I guess I'll leave you in his bed. He needs laid, anyway." Birman made a muffled noise and began to struggle harder. "Tsk, tsk. I'll just have to tie you more thoroughly, and that'll just make it easier for him to get to you." Shuldig dumped her onto the hard, empty bed, and swiftly secured her bonds, and tied a rope from her hands to Crawford's desk. "There, a nice, neat package, all wrapped up with a bow for the master." Schuldig giggled, and turned to leave the room. "Have a nice night, sweetheart." /May Crawford find a good use for you. And pray there's something left of you to turn over to Esset later on./ Birman's eyes grew wide, and she struggled futily to slip her bonds. /Relax, kitten. I've had plenty of practice tying people up. You're not going anywhere until someone unties you./ Schuldig left the room, firmly shutting the door behind him, leaving Birman alone in the dark with only her frightened thoughts for company.  
  
* * * (insert Farfie here)  
  
Then next morning, Schuldig leaned against the doorframe of his bedroom and watched as Crawford left Nagi's room for his own. /Senpai, I left you a present in your room. I hope you like her. Though it looks like you won't need her like I thought you would./ Schuldig smirked as Crawford turned around and saw the telepath lounging in his doorway. "Schuldig, I ought to kill you." Crawford took a few steps back, and calmly landed a one-two punch combination to the German's middle. Schuldig doubled over, gasping for breath, and Crawford slowly smiled. "But I think that'll do for now, since you did finish your assignment so neatly and quickly. But call me senpai again, and I will kill you." His eyes glittered coldly, and he smiled icily at Schuldig. "I'd rather not have to find another telepath to take your place, so don't let that happen." "Y-y-yes, Craw-ford." Schuldig gasped, and headed back into his room to collapse on his bed. Crawford nodded, and headed back to his own room. He pushed open the door, and saw the frightened dark haired woman laying on his bed, bound hand and foot, with her hands bound to his desk. Crawford smiled coolly, and went to examine Schuldig's prize. Frightened brown eyes regarded him as he flipped on his desk light, then turned to look at her. Crawford jerked down her gag, then stopped. He gasped, and blinked rapidly.  
  
The car tried to slam on its breaks. The girl tried to stop running. Crawford tried to grab her back from the street. They were all too late. The car slammed into her, tossing her through the air like a ragdoll. She hit the pavement with a sickening thud. Crawford ran to her side, carefully gathering her battered body in his arms. "K-k-kyoko?" Crawford whispered, stunned. "Kyoko?" Birman looked up at the tall man standing over her, the man who seemed to recognize her, and called her by a strange name. "You know who I am?" she asked, looking into his eyes. She gasped. "Your eyes...so familiar...do I know you?" Birman fell into Crawford's honey colored eyes and began to remember. A sunny day, long ago. The car, feeling the impact of it as it hit her, the rush of the wind as she flew threw the air...the sickening thud as she hit the pavement...blackness and pain..."Bradley? Is that really you?" she said, eyes growing wide. "No! You're dead! The doctors, at the hospital, they told me you died! Why are you here, alive, now?" Crawford's voice was filled with pain and longing, and tinged with regret. Birman looked away. "Bradley, I was dead." She whispered. "I didn't even know who I was when I was taken from the hospital" Tears began to form in her eyes, painful memories flooding her mind. "Kyoko" Crawford whispered again, hardly believing she was real. He gently reached out and touched her face, then stroked her hair. Birman made a small noise in the back of her throat and tried to pull away, but was prevented by the ropes that still bound her hand and foot. "Here," he said gently, and carefully untied her so she could sit up. She stared at him, not knowing what to say or do. Birman tentatively reached out for his hand, but jerked her hand back before she could make contact. Crawford took her trembling hands in her own. "Kyoko." He said again, staring at her. Birman sat motionless on Crawford's bed. Her thoughts whirled and danced, trying to wrap themselves around her old and new lives. "I remember," she murmured finally, looking up, her brown eyes meeting Crawford's honey colored ones. "You...you were a boxer." Crawford nodded. "And I..." she paused "I didn't like that. So I tried to leave, but that car..." Birman began to cry. Crawford cradled her in his arms, stroking her hair and whispering her name. "Oh, Kyoko," he murmured into her hair. "I've missed you..."  
  
* * *  
  
Nagi looked away from his computer screen and stretched. He used his telekinetic power to keep the keys moving as he rested his fingers. /Nagi?/ Schuldig whispered into his mind. /Lunch?/ Nagi looked at the clock. It was after one o'clock already. /Yes, lunch/ Nagi replied. /Has Crawford eaten yet?/ /I don't think so/ Schuldig said. /Why don't you find out. We'll have a lovely little family get-together. Maybe Crawford will bring his "present" with him./ /Present?/ Nagi heard Schuldig chuckle. /yes. I brought him Yohji's little kitten. Pretty little thing, he ought to enjoy her./ /Oh./ Nagi's mental voice grew cold. /I'll get him, present and all. Meet you in the kitchen, okay?/ /Fine, Nagi. I'll start the sandwiches, then./ Nagi stood up, pushed in his desk chair and headed towards Crawford's room.  
  
* * * Crawford tilted Birman's chin up and licked his lips. "May I kiss you? It's been so long..." Birman smiled through her tears and twined her arms familiarly around his neck. "Yes," she breathed, "I'd like that, Bradley." Crawford kissed her. Memories of their time together mingled in his mind with scenes from the present. Nagi flickered into Birman, then back again. The car hit Nagi while Birman sat at her computer floating objects around her room. Bittersweet tears began to flow down his cheeks, mingling with hers. "Bradley, "she murmured against his lips, "don't stop." "Never, Kyoko, never."  
  
* * *  
  
Nagi softly knocked on Crawford's half open door, then popped his head into the room. "Craw---" he stopped suddenly, staring at the pair in the room. "Brad?" he stammered, unable to tear his eyes away from the horrible sight of Crawford kissing a strange woman on his bed. Birman jumped back at the sound of Nagi's voice. She stared at the boy, almost recognizing him. Schuldig strolled into the room, summoned by the distress he felt from Nagi's mind. "Schuldig!" she hissed. She glanced back at the boy, finally dredging up a name for him, "Nagi!" Crawford stared at her. She knew his teammates? That meant...this was Yohji's girlfriend...he's forgotten all about that when he'd looked into her light brown eyes. Birman scrambled back, pressing her back into the wall beside the bed. "Keep them away from me! Why is he here? Bradley?" /Ah, kitten/ Schuldig whispered in her mind. /Don't you know where you are?/ "I see you are enjoying your 'present', Bradley" Schuldig said to Crawford. "How does she taste? Sweet, like a---" Crawford stood, turned, and knocked the German into the nearest wall. "Schuldig," he growled, grabbing him by the shirt and slamming him into the wall again, this time holding him there, "STOP." Birman's eyes were large and frightened, and Nagi looked like he was about to faint. "You...you work for Esset, don't you? You're their...precognitive, the one they call Oracle, aren't you?" Birman's voice began to climb into the upper vocal regions. Crawford let Schuldig slide down the wall as he turned to look at the frightened woman. He narrowed his eyes. "How do you know that?" he asked, a bit stunned by her sudden knowledge. She looked down at her hands, then back up at the tall American. "I-I work for Kritiker." She whispered, not believing what she had just realized. Crawford was floored, but did not show it. His first love, his only love, his Kyoko, worked for the enemy. Crawford knelt on the bed and stared into Birman's eyes. "you work with Weiss, then," he hissed, grabbing her arms, gripping them tightly. Birman began to shake, startled and scared by the sudden change in the man kneeling in front of her. She struggled to tear her gaze away from his, but his piercing golden eye held hers, trapped. "Schuldig, come here, "Schuldig shook his head, stood up, and walked over to sit on the bed next to the rigid pair. "Read her mind. Now." Schuldig placed a palm on her forehead, delving into her mind. He chuckled as he felt her try to throw him out, and failed. Crawford still stared at her intently, distracting her from Schuldig's probing. "Schwarz, take your hands off of her!" Yohji's voice cut across the charged atmosphere of the room. Crawford and Schuldig turned their heads to find the four Weiss boys framed in the doorway of Crawford's bedroom. Ken was flexing his fists, showing his claws, while Omi had his crossbow loaded and aimed. Aya had his sword out, ready for action. Yohji leaned deceptively against the doorframe, playing with his wire. "I just can't stand to see a pretty girl soiled like that." He said, and launched himself toward the bed. Nagi threw up his hands and created an invisible wall with his power, which caused Yohji to bounce back, bowling into the other three boys. /Awww, Yohji/ Schuldig whispered /Seems you missed the good part...looks like your little kitten used to be...involved with Crawford.../ Yohji screamed, once again launching himself, this time at the tall American still gripping Birman's arms. 


End file.
